GardeningGuideline

Useful Information for getting your thumb green again.

The Basics Of Lawn Care Equipment

Maintaining a proper lawn is both a goal and a chore for many people in the United States. Many feel frustrated with the way that some lawns seem to require a lot of work and never produce the perfect, green carpet that so many crave. However, in many cases, most people are trying to maintain their lawns with only the minimum of tools needed to take care of it. By purchasing proper lawn care equipment, you can give yourself a fighting chance to have a beautiful lawn. Here are some of the tools you'll need to make your lawn lush.

The Lawnmower

A lawnmower is perhaps the only piece of lawn care equipment that is a requirement for even the laziest of lawn owners. After all, neighbors can certainly sympathize with someone who doesn't have a fabulous looking lawn, but they'll start to complain if you never mow. If you want to properly care for your lawn, you'll need a good mower. This piece of lawn care equipment comes in two basic flavors: a push variety and a riding mower.

If you're not sure which mower you should buy, simply take a look at the layout of your yard. If you have a large lawn that's mostly flat, it's better to have a riding mower. For lawns with a lot of trees and other obstacles, you're better off purchasing a push mower. There are plenty of different features to be found with lawn mowers, but your best bet for this piece of lawn care equipment is a push mower that's self-propelled and that can mulch, so you're not stuck with bags of clippings to deal with.

Trimmers

A good trimmer will help define the lines on your lawn, and as such, is an important piece of lawn care equipment for those who are looking to go beyond the basic mow for lawn care. There are a variety of different types of trimmers, most of which use nylon cords whipped around rapidly to cut weeds and get close on walls to trim down grass. For those with small yards, your best bet is probably an electric trimmer and a good extension cord, but if you happen to have a large yard or don't have enough access to outlets, a gas powered trimmer is the best.

Sprinklers

A good sprinkler system is another key piece of lawn care equipment, particularly in areas where just natural water isn't enough to keep the lawn from turning brown. Good coverage with a sprinkler means that the spray overlaps, ensuring no area of the lawn goes uncovered. You can test which areas receive coverage by placing a straight-sided container, such as a coffee can, on the lawn before watering; simply check the can after the sprinkler has run to see if you've got water going in. A good sprinkler system, along with a quality mower and trimmer, form the three basic pieces of lawn care equipment that everyone should have.

Gardening Tip #6

Overwatering kills most houseplants. Looks can be deceptive, so to see if your soil is dry enough to water, try the finger test. Insert your index finger up to the first joint into the soil. If the soil is damp, don't water it.